Birthday wishes from Dad

I talked to my old man in Colorado about a week before my birthday, which was this past 9/11. I mentioned my brother and I going to NYC for my birhday weekend and the old man replied "Ahhhh shit. That's right. Your birthday is coming up."

We chatted for a little while longer and he ended the call with "If I talk to you I'll talk to you. Have a good birthday."

I talked to him again yesterday and he asked if the package had arrived. He said he sent it on my birthday. I hadn't seen any packages around the house so he called the P.O. to see if there was a problem.

I guess they tried to deliver it but no one was home so it was waiting for me to pick it up.

The clerk handed me an oblong box and I walked out to open it since I had to stuff whatever was inside into my backpack since I was on the motorcycle.

While I was sitting on the bike outside tearing open the box this dude who's voice sounded like Johnny Most with a cold goes "ONLY GOT A FEW DAYS OF RIDIN' LEFT EH?"

I glanced up and said "I'm gonna ride this thing until they start salting and sanding the roads, man"

Then he backed up a bit and slowly stood on one foot, squatted slightly and pushed one fist towards me with an enthusiastic "That's what I like to hear!"

So back to the mystery box from my dad.

I tore it open and inside there was:

1 (one) long sleeve black shirt with a rattlesnake on the front

1 (one) egg of Silly Putty

1 (one) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle "Raphael" action figure

1 (one) card that read "happy birthday, tiger"


All in all I'd say the old man did well. I have no idea what he was thinking, but I rarely ever do.